


Ask Your Questions, Darling

by lady_needless_litany



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Getting Together, Kissing Lessons, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sneaky Spock (Star Trek)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28597710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lady_needless_litany/pseuds/lady_needless_litany
Summary: “I’m curious about a particular human custom.”“Oh?”“Yes, I’m sure it will seem peculiar to you. I find the custom of kissing relatively...foreign. I was hoping you could shed some light on it for me.”
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock
Comments: 12
Kudos: 83





	Ask Your Questions, Darling

**Author's Note:**

> Trope-y and mostly plotless, but it's nice to get it out of my WIPs folder.

Despite his initial misgivings, Leonard had come to enjoy life on the _Enterprise_ , for the most part. Easy, on the other hand, it was not. A shift's end usually found him slouched on the sofa in his quarters — itself a privilege of his rank — in a state of fuzzy exhaustion. Tonight was no different.

He'd been in his quarters all of about ten minutes before there was a knock on the door. He hauled himself off the sofa and stood, making a vague attempt to make himself look presentable, before he opened the door. It slid aside to reveal Spock, clearly just off-duty himself.

“Good evening, doctor. I was wondering if you could...assist me with something?” If Leonard hadn't known better, he'd have said that Spock's voice contained a note of hesitancy.

His mind was scrambling — _what could Spock_ possibly _need help with, for me to be the first port of call?_ — but he did his best not to let it show. With a step backwards, he waved Spock in. “Well, come in, and I’ll see what I can do.”

He took a seat at one end of the sofa, arranging himself somewhat more neatly than his previous sprawl, while Spock perched on the opposite end. “What can I help you with?”

“I’m curious about a particular human custom.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, I’m sure it will seem peculiar to you. I find the custom of kissing relatively...foreign. I was hoping you could shed some light on it for me.”

Well. Maybe the embarrassment wasn't a figment of his imagination.

“Vulcans don’t kiss?”

“Typically, no. Married couples, in private, sometimes. Vulcan culture values constraint, so such displays of affection are uncommon.” Spock supplied. “There is a gesture that has been dubbed a ‘Vulcan kiss’, which involves contact between hands rather than lips.” "You've never kissed anyone? Not at the Academy or...?" "No. As I said, it is a private thing for Vulcans." "So why'd you want to learn about it now? Got your eye on someone?" Spock seemed unable to find an answer. “I simply fail to understand the appeal of such an activity.”

“Many people find it to be enjoyable. It releases positive hormones. And there’s the emotional side of it, of course.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah, I guess. But it’s definitely all in the moment — it doesn’t really sound great when you say it straight.” Leonard explained. “It’s the kind of thing you’ve gotta do to understand.”

He wasn’t convinced. “I see.”

“I mean, it’s just about the physical closeness and being with another person. Sometimes it’s sexual, but it doesn’t have to be.”

“It must be very unhygienic.”

“Generally speaking, it’s not about to kill you. Most people don’t mind the unhygienic-ness, given the pay-off.”

“Of course.” _Humans would_ , said the unwritten-but-palpable subtext. “How is it done?”

“Um,” Leonard said intelligently. “I don’t really know how to describe it.” “Perhaps you could imagine that you were instructing me.”

As good a way as any. It gave Leonard a starting point, at least. "Y’know" he said, cracking his knuckles absent-mindedly. "I haven't done this since high school." Spock tilted his head in confusion. "Kissed?" "No, tried to teach somebody else to do it." "Is that common practice?" "Teaching it? Sure, it's just a thing that some kids do. It seems all very scandalous and grown-up at that age." Leonard shook his head nostalgically, before adding with a hint of pride: "Plus, I had a bit of a reputation in my younger days." 

Spock didn’t deign to respond to that.

“Alright. For starters, it’s best if there’s some other physical contact first, so that this kissing isn’t totally out of the blue.” Leonard began, feeling a little ridiculous. “Then you need to make sure you’re in a position to get the angle right.”

And so he went on, step by step, thinking how odd it was to translate something so instinctual into a methodical series of instructions. Spock was an attentive student, questioning him frequently. When he finished, Spock didn’t seem sure. 

“I feel as though I am still lacking in understanding.”

“You? Feel?” Leonard jibed lightly.

Spock remained thoughtful. “I think a more practical demonstration may be more effective."

_Um. What?_

“I - ah - okay,” Leonard said, a little startled, giving his words the time to sink in. "Okay, so, d'you want to try it?" "If you think that would be useful." Leonard was surprised, given Spock's initial embarrassment, that he still sounded perfectly composed — not the least bit self-conscious or awkward. Unlike himself: his pulse was beginning to flutter a little faster than usual. He could feel it in his neck, underneath his skin. He spoke in an attempt to dispel the sudden onset of nerves. "Are you sure?" "Of course."

“But - Vulcans? Constraint?”

“In such a circumstance as this, I do not think it would be indiscreet. Unless you would be uncomfortable?”

“No, no,” he responded quickly, determinedly ignoring the dismay that accompanied the very thought of _not_ doing it, now that it was on the cards. Leonard shuffled along the sofa a little, so that the angle would be less awkward. "Alright, so I'm just going to-" Leonard tentatively rested one hand on Spock's shoulder. "Ready?" "Yes, doctor." Spock seemed almost impatient, so Leonard quit dithering. He leant forward, tilting his head slightly, fingers curling more firmly into Spock's shoulder, and pressed their lips together. It took him a second to re-accustom himself to the feeling of kissing someone; he hadn't kissed anyone since Jocelyn, so he was, in all honesty, out of practice. It soon flooded back, though. Spock was stiff at first, the kiss feeling unnatural. Instantly sensing that, Leonard moved his hand from Spock's shoulder to his cheek; it had the intended impact — Spock yielded. His eyes, although Leonard couldn't see them, slid shut. He exerted an almost imperceptible reciprocal pressure. His chin tipped down slightly, pressing into Leonard's palm like a cat being petted. His right hand came gently into contact with Leonard's upper arm. In response, Leonard's other hand went to Spock's knee, dangerously near to covering Spock's other hand.

Leonard had to remind himself to pull away. They parted, though Leonard didn't remove his hand from Spock's knee. He was close enough that each breath meant that he inhaled the scent of clean laundry, which seemed attached to Spock in that moment. The tips of Spock's ears were now tinged green, in the same way that he felt the blood rise in his own cheeks.

_It's not real. You're doing him a favour that's all. God, this is a_ practical demonstration _, of all things._

"I - er - how was that?" he asked, trying to convince himself not to dwell on the sensations that were still coursing through his body. Because it had felt unexpectedly _real_ , even though it shouldn't have. Spock took a moment to collect his thoughts. "I understand now why humans choose to indulge in that behaviour," he replied hesitantly. "I found it somewhat pleasurable." Leonard took refuge in their familiar repartée. He raised an eyebrow, in Spock's own fashion. "Only _somewhat_ pleasurable? Must be losing my touch." "I doubt it," Spock responded, without sarcasm. Leonard made an overexaggerated gasp. "Why, Mr. Spock — that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. Saying things like that can make a man blush, y'know." If he'd been human, Spock would have rolled his eyes. As it was, he made his attitude quite clear, through the pursing of his lips and a slight sigh. It was almost fond in its softness, though. Leonard wasn't sure when he'd learnt to read Spock's demeanour so closely, given that it was now second nature. At Spock's put-upon sigh, Leonard laughed a little, putting more distance between them as he did so. There was an immediate sense of loss, of emptiness, of disappointment. _Don't be ridiculous,_ he told himself. _You're making this all up. It's just because you've been single for a while, it's a pretty normal reaction. Besides, Spock? Probably not an appropriate person to be thinking about in any way other than professionally. Friendship-wise at the most._ Yet…

The feeling was most insistent. His whole body seemed to crave more contact — the palm of his hand on Spock’s leg was insufficient. And Spock had yet to move away: he couldn’t imagine Spock allowing himself to be subjected to unwanted physical contact in a situation like that.

It was at that point that Leonard realised that they’d not made proper eye contact since the kiss, so he pulled his gaze upwards to meet Spock’s, who seemed to be carefully studying Leonard’s features. He couldn’t quite comprehend whatever knowledge was hidden within Spock’s eyes, but it seemed benevolent.

The moment lengthened; it wasn’t awkward, but there was a sense of tension. Of expectation. Of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Leonard became acutely aware that he would have to do something sooner or later. 

The sensible thing would be to look away, say something leavening, and then exile himself to the other end of the sofa. Space to restore barriers.

Instead, instinctively, Leonard succumbed to his desires. He closed the gap between them once again. He kissed Spock again.

This time, it was longer, more equal, more engaged, and somehow far, far more intimate. It was far from perfect: Spock was still a little unsure of what he was supposed to do, but he seemed to be learning swiftly. At any rate, Leonard was just glad to banish the hollowness and replace it with the syrupy warmth that he’d always associated with kissing. Then, Spock ran a hand over the fabric of his shirt from the base of his spine to the top and Leonard held the back of Spock’s neck in response, and their fingertips brushed and-

Spock pulled away. It was gentle, though, and almost reluctant. Leonard noticed that Spock had withdrawn both of his hands at once, which seemed strange, given that he seemed entirely comfortable in every other way. Perhaps the skin-to-skin contact on the hand had been unexpected; maybe something to ask at a later date. Before Leonard had really had the change to ponder it, Spock was speaking again. "Is it not human practice," Spock said, annoyingly composed. "To partake in some form of social activity before moving on to things such as this? A date, I believe?" "Yeah, usually," Leonard replied, now verging on breathless. "But this isn't really the way things are normally done." "Still, surely we should-" Spock interrupted himself there, characteristically forthright. “I assume you’re interested?”

That should have sounded arrogant, but in Spock’s mouth it was just matter-of-fact.

_Of course I am!_ he almost exclaimed. Instead, he made a valiant attempt to contain himself, although he couldn’t help a slight smirk. “I’m not _not_ interested.”

Leonard could practically feel Spock straining not to correct the double negative.

“In that case, may I suggest dinner?”

“Dinner? Tonight?”

Leonard was aware of Spock’s eyes on his face, observing the dark circles under his eyes and taking pity on him. “Tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

Spock reeled off a time, a place, an enquiry about allergies. Leonard nodded along vaguely to the first and second, shaking his head at the third. All he could think of was the fact that he was going on a _date_ with _Spock_ , of all people. He’d never thought of Spock in that light — had never allowed himself to, perhaps — but it now all seemed perfectly natural.

“I must go, doctor. I will see you tomorrow.”

Leonard mustered enough brain cells to show Spock to the door, but once the door was closed he was at a loss. He flopped down on the sofa, somehow exhausted and energised at the same time. Predictably, his mind, in all of its circular glory, immediately had him relive every single awkward, exhilarating moment of the previous fifteen minutes — was that all it had been? A quarter of an hour? In his teenage years — the last time he'd let himself think about someone in that way, before he'd found the woman he had married — he would've mocked himself, scolded himself, for being such a sap; today, he excused it on the grounds of tiredness and allowed himself the indulgence.

As he re-lived their second kiss for the fourth or fifth time, it occurred to him that the justification for Spock's visit had been rather flimsy. Worn and caught off-guard, it hadn't crossed his mind while Spock was actually there, but it became more and more questionable as he spent time considering it. Spock was half-human, after all, with a very human mother; it was unlikely that he'd never encountered the concept of kissing at all. That was without accounting for his time at the Academy, surrounded by hormonal cadets. Nowadays, Spock spent most of his time with _Captain James T. Kirk_ , of all people, who was still prone to flirtation when it wasn't totally unprofessional. On reflection, the beginnings of Spock's visit felt almost artificial, even if the rest of it had been anything but. So he wasn’t sure whether the whole pretext had been a sham or not; in all honesty, he was inclined towards the latter, because if Spock had wanted to ask him on a date, he would have just asked. And he’d seemed so self-conscious at first. Either way, it didn’t really matter. Whether he showed it or not, he trusted Spock. Besides, Leonard admitted, if it took Spock playing the _logical Vulcan_ card for him to be kissed like that, he wasn't about to complain.

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Posting a fic that was mostly written in 2017? In 2021? Never.


End file.
